Nice to Italy

[Blossom]

Hi, we're heading to Nice for 2 weeks next month and are thinking of spending a few days somewhere in Italy. Can any of you recommend any towns that wouldn't be too far from Nice? Any thoughts on San Remo? We like good food, walks, museums, galleries etc.

 

[runner]

You can take the train to Milan directly from the station in Nice if you want a city trip. Its a regular express and gets you there in afew hours and very comfy. Otherwise just take the coast route through Monaca and any of the smaller places there are very nice.

 

[bren1916]

Ventimiglia just over the border in Italy is great for a day trip - superb market and less than an hour from Nice by rail.

 

[Staples]

From what I could establish when there, the train from Nice terminates at Ventimiglia (the first town over the Italian border) and you'll need to change there for wherever in Italy you want to go. (I'm open to correction on this but that's certainly my recollection).

I've heard Alassio is very nice although I've never been there myself.

 

[tiger]

Alassio is nice, from what little I can recall. (years ago)
You could also take the ferry to Corsica


TBH though I think there's alot to see and do closer to Nice without having to leave France.

 

[EvilDoctorK]

Yes there's very frequent trains from Nice to Ventimiglia (via Monaco and Menton) .. I think there may also be a few through trains beyond Ventimiglia too.. but they'd be the exception.

If you want museums and galleries I think you might find San Remo a bit limiting .. it's a seaside resort town really and not that large

How about Genoa ?... that's a really interesting city that would be easily reachable by train from Nice .. and should have enough Galleries/Museums/Food to keep you occupied for a few days.

 

[oldnick]

I echo the wise evildoctors comments on genoa -amazing city, perhaps the largest "old town" in italy -goes on for miles.

From Ventimiglia there are frequent trains on to san Remo and Genoa.
S remo is 15 mins away. genoa can take up to two hours depending on train type.

If when you get to Venti you find there's no train for an hour or so -this will be the case between noon and two -then have lunch and explore the old town of Venti up the hill.

Before stopping at san remo I'd certainly get off at lovely Bordighere for a couple of hours stroll.

..and before going thru to Venti do stop at Menton.

Look - the whole train line along the Cote D'Azur and on to Italy (the so-called Italian riviera) ,especially twixt Nice and Genoa is full of great little stops.The trains are cheap and reliable. You must must google and/or get a guide book.

If you really have a few days then it must be Genoa and the Cinque Terre(probably the wrong spelling).

Dont nother with going inland too much if this is your first trip -stick to the amazing coastal train stops between Frejus and Genoa
.

 

[Blossom]

Thanks

Thanks for all the advice re San Remo. We have decided to go to San Remo for a short two night trip and we intend to take in some of the small villages and towns around that area.
We would love to go to Genoa and now plan to do that the next time we are in the South of France. Many thanks for all the advice re trains and connections.

 

[khairabar]

Amazed nobody mentioned Torino (Turin)! Just a few hours by train (or bus) from Nice this is a simply sensational place and, probably the most under-estimated city destination in Europe based on what I saw of it a few years back. I travelled in the other direction (Torino to Nice), the train passing through the small towns of Northwest Italy, Cuneo, Mondovi, etc. and the stunning mountain scenery and towns and villages on the French side in the "arriere-pays" of the Provence alps behind Nice. One train per day is designated a "tourist train" probably because it goes a bit slower to admire the scenery and stops ar more places you might want to stop at.
Torino itself is FULL of galleries, museems, castles, palaces, churches, piazzas, art-deco cafes and railway stations like cathedrals. I think I heard that the famous "Shroud of Turin" is on exhibit this year, which it normally is not - but even without the shroud, the city has everything - stunning architecture, restaurants and bookshops everywhere, romantic eateries along the river Po at night, the huge "Mole" tower and its gawping views of the city and the snow capped mountains that encircle it, students sketching by the river, people eager to welcome you, altogether a truly beautiful city. Much of the centre of Nice's own Italianate architecture (around Place Masena) is copied from the style of Turin, which reflects the close link and bond that existed between the two cities when Nice was still part of Italy, the same route linking them across the mountains today as was the case back then.
Of course Italy has great and deservedly well known cities such as Rome and Florence and Venice as well as a dozen others anyone can name - but Torino is unquestionably the country's best kept secret. And, so easy to get to from Nice. As well as the mountain train (which is the most interesting way to go), it is also possible to travel less scenically by the (more frequent) trains VIA Ventimiglia/Genoa connecting northward for Torino. On my trip I had to partially resort to this route having spent a few days at Breil-sur-Roya during which one of France's infamous rail strikes had raised its head.
kb